Gloria Lee Wong died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Vineyard Haven on Jan. 24, one month shy of her 96th birthday.

She had lived year-round on the Island for the last 25 years and was a seasonal resident in the MVCMA Camp Ground for nearly 60 years.

Gloria Violet Lee was born on Feb. 24, 1928 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. She was the daughter of the late Rev. Clarence Lee and Edith Lois Ching Oi Koo and an older sister to Cordelia Shampanier, Felicia Lee and Timothy Lee.

She grew up in Canada until 1944, when her family moved to San Francisco so her father could serve as the minister of True Sunshine Church there and in Oakland. At the time her parents were Chinese citizens and so permission was required from the Chinese, Canadian and U.S. governments.

Gloria graduated from Lowell High in San Francisco in 1945, received her bachelor’s degree from University of California Berkeley in 1949 and her masters of social work from Smith College in 1954. She was ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Church in 1993.

While on work study in Baltimore she met Backman Wong. Gloria and Backman married in San Francisco in 1954. They resided in Baltimore, where their eldest sons Malcolm and Cary were born. In 1961 they moved to Massachusetts, settling in Wayland in 1962, and their three youngest children Darrell, Andrea and Janice were born. After Backman died, Gloria moved full-time to the Vineyard in 1998.

Over the years, she worked at the San Francisco YWCA, Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., Family & Children’s Services in Baltimore, Wayland Junior High School, South Cove Community Health Center in Boston, Tewksbury Hospital and the MA Public Health Dept.

She was very spiritual and came from a religious family. She has been involved with numerous churches and ministries including Boston Chinese Ministry at The Cathedral Church of St Paul, Church of the Holy Spirit, Grace Episcopal Church and Trinity Episcopal Church, and was a member of the Order of St Luke.

Gloria was involved in numerous community activities such as church suppers, fundraising walks and Chinese New Year celebrations with help from the Brownie troops. She loved music, played the piano and sang in choruses and church choirs, including more than 20 years with Island Community Chorus. She also enjoyed gardening and growing flowers.

Since 1970 she had been a member of the Polar Bears, whose members shared early morning swimming and fellowship and were like family. She was interviewed by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum about the Polar Bears for an oral history.

Despite having quadruple-bypass heart surgery at age 86, she was busy, active and energetic. Recently diagnosed with Alpha-gal, she reluctantly gave up ice cream. She had perfect eyesight, recently renewed her driver’s license and was considering buying a new car.

She enjoyed traveling to new places and visiting her children and grandchildren in Japan, Hawaii, Morocco, Singapore and Thailand. In 2022 she took a road trip with her grandson Dustin from Washington state to Los Angeles. She and Backman toured China and went skiing in Austria. During a pilot strike, she took a solo bus trip from Massachusetts to California, unbeknownst to her children.

Despite her small stature, she was big in spirit, full of joy, generosity and kindness.

Gloria is survived by her five children: Malcolm and his spouse Junko in Tokyo, Japan and Hawaii, Cary and his spouse Lillian in Chiang Mai, Thailand and North Attleboro, Darrell in Wayland, Andrea Wong Monteiro (and her spouse Kelvin in Singapore and Vineyard Haven, and Janice Skilling and her spouse Robert in Windham, N.H.; and by her grandchildren Dustin, Isaac, Analisa, Lukas, Brian, Natalie, Maximilian, Jenna, Samuel and Jack.

She is also survived by her brother Timothy and his spouse Marie in Mountain View, Calif. and many cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Backman, father Clarence, mother Edith and sisters Cordelia and Felicia.

Her memorial service will be held in July 2024 in Oak Bluffs. Details will be provided at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital or Grace Episcopal Church.